Lighter-than-normal snowfalls, dangerous ice on lakes and rivers combined with above seasonal temperatures have been a boon for Manitoba ski hills.
Just 20.4 centimetres of snow fell in Winnipeg in December, with 12 cm left on the ground by the end of the month, according to Environment Canada data. That’s compared to 28 cm of snowfall with 22 cm left on the ground in the same period in 2018.
Meanwhile, dangerous conditions caused by inconsistent weather have kept more fishers and skaters than usual off of frozen Manitoba lakes and rivers.
Those factors combined have made this a banner year for the province’s ski hills, Stony Mountain Ski Area co-owner Heather Dewar said.
“We’ve had one of the best years ever for the Christmas holiday season,” Dewar said. “Snow-making took a little bit longer just because it was a little warmer, but once we got the cold weather we were able to get our base down.”
Recent warm weather has made the hill busier than ever — with no closures due to extreme cold.
“The whole ski industry, this is the winter we’ve been waiting for,” Dewar said.